There was nothing pretty or spectacular about Fremantle’s 76-point win over the GWS Giants at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.

However, the Dockers eighth consecutive victory has them in second spot on the AFL ladder.

And with the Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett out for the remainder of the season, the chances of the Brownlow Medal winner being ineligible to claim the honour this season increased dramatically with another quality performance by Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe.

He had 29 touches and kicked a couple of goals and kick-started his teammates who appeared to struggle mentally at the start of the game.

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The margin blew out in the second half of the final term, due mainly to seven final-term goals. But Fremantle kicked 21.10 (136) to 9.6 (60) to post its biggest score of the season, so far.

And its miserly defence helped to push its percentage above that of Hawthorn and Geelong.

That defence was bolstered yesterday by Michael Johnson, who was playing his first game since injuring his knee against Adelaide in round 12. Luke McPharlin and Garrick Ibbotson are still to come back over the next few weeks.

Two other players potentially need to be squeezed in before September also – Stephen Hill and Michael Walters – which would make Hayden Ballantyne’s report for an off-the-ball incident just before three-quarter-time on Sunday that much more frustrating for coach Ross Lyon. Especially if he gets suspended.

While the Dockers should win their next two games – against St Kilda and Carlton – their final month includes crucial games against Geelong, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide.

The final four and top two places will surely be determined in this time and Lyon will want his best players on the park for them.

That includes Ballantyne who showed with five goals against the Giants that he is crucial to their success.

But a third report for the season, for allegedly striking Tomas Bugg (the video footage wasn’t too conclusive) would be concerning for Fremantle’s coaching staff.

An undermanned GWS was cheeky on Sunday, matching the Dockers work ethic for much of the first two and half quarters.

However, they lacked polish.

Jeremy Cameron, in his 50th AFL game, had four behinds on the board before he kicked the first of his two goals, just before three-quarter-time.

Only three goals from the boot of Lachie Whitfield kept the Dockers from being more than 30 points up at half time.

They managed only 5.1 after half-time, including Toby Greene’s goal just before the final siren.

The Giants had 14 players on the ground with less than 50 games experience – against a side with just four. The average number of games played for the Dockers was 116, compared to the Giants 79.